Bedcover support



Oct. 22, 1929. M. D. EALY 1,732,716

BEDCOVER SUPPORT Filed Feb. 29, 1928 Patented Oct. 22, 1929 PATENT OFFICE MILTON D. EALY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BEIDCOVER SUPPORT Application filed February 29,'1928. Serial No. 257,843.

My invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of a simple, inexpensive, and efiicacious device adapted for attachment to a bed to support the covers in elevated position and out of contact with the occupant of the bed so that an invalid or a convalescent will be relieved of the weight of the bed covers and et covered b them.

I will describe onlgr one form 0 bed cover 9 support embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are views showing in perspective the two parts of the bed cover support embodying my invention; and

3 is a perspective view of a bed show- Fi ing 51c bed cover support in applied position thereon.

In carrying out my invention, I provide two or more main supports for holding the bed covers in elevated position above the mattress at as many points along the length of the bed depending upon the requirements of the occupant.

For holding the covers elevated at the foot of the mattress. I provide a support comprising a substantially U-shaped frame F preferably constructed from a single length of relatively heavy wire having a horizontal medial portion 15 and vertical side portions 16 extended and bent at their lower ends to converging members 17. The ends of the members are looped as indicated at 17 to form relatively broad heads so that they may function as stationary jaws to effectively .coact with movable jaws in clamping the frame to a mattress. Adjustable on the frame F are a pair of members M constituting the movable jaws. Each member M comprises a shank 18 one end of which is looped to form an eye 19 of a size to permit sliding of the jaw on the frame to obtain its various positions of adjustment; The opposite end of the shank is looped to form a relatively broad head 20 which is in the plane of the eye 19 so it will be presented flat-Wise to the top of the mattress when in applied position.

Applied to a mattress, as illustrated in Fig. 3. the frame F is positioned transversely of the foot end of the mattress and beneath the bed covers with the side portions 16 upright and the medial portion 15 elevated above the mattress and supporting the covers spaced with the top of the mattress they are thus caused to coact with he stationary jaws to securely clamp the mattress and thereby hold the frame firmly in upright position. It will be understood that the eyes 19 are sufiieiently loose on the vertical frame portion to permit of a limited pivoting movement of the jaws when in clamping position to cause the eyes to have binding engagement with the frame and thus lock the jaws against vertical displacement.

Although the jaws M are necessary to securely clamp the frame in upright position on the mattress, the frame may be maintained in upright position by the stationary jaws 17 alone wherethey are increased in length sufficiently so that'when extended between the bed springs and mattress they will oppose any tendency of the frame to sway toone side or the other from an upright position. Although the support is shown and described as applied to the foot end'of the mattress it may be applied to either side edge to support the covers in elevated position alon either side of the mattress. As applied to t e mattress in this mannerthe jaws 17 may be extended beneath the side edges of the mattress with the frame extended across and above the mattress. To apply the support it may be necessary to flex the frame and thus spread the jaws sufficiently to permit insertion beneath the mattress. The resiliency of the wire of which the frame is formed will permit of such flexing and restore the jaws to normal position when the frame is released thereby causing the jaws to be maintained beneath the mattress and the portions 16 to firmly embrace the side edges of themattress.

The other main support comprises a frame F of arcuate form constructed of a resilient wire and having its ends bent to form a pair of stationary jaws J of triangular form.

These jaws are disposed between the ends of the arcuate frame so as-to extend beneath the mattress when applied. Movable jaws J are nslidable on the arcuate frame to clampingly coact with the stationary jaws, and these jaws are constructed the same and function the same as the jaws M.

Applied to the mattress as illustrated in Fig. 3, the frame F is positioned transversely of the mattress at a point spaced from the. foot end thereof andbeneath the bed covers so that the latter are held in elevated ositionabove the mattress at a oint spaced from the foot end. The frame is secured in 15 upright position by extending the stationary jaws beneath the mattress at the op osite side thereof by outwardly. flexing the rame after one jaw has been applied in order to apply the other. The width of the frame F m is less than the width of the mattress so that when applied it is under tension and constantly acts to constrict the mattress transversely. -By now sliding the movable jaws J into clamping position the mattress is a gripped with suflicient security to'maintain the frame in upright cover supporting position. It will be understood thatthe 'constricting action of the frame greatly aids the jaws in securing the frame against movement to one side or the other.

Similarly, the jaws J are necessary to firmly clamp the frame F in upright position on the mattress but the jaws J may be dispensed with and the frame maintained in :5 upright position with a fair degree of security by the jaws J coupled with the contracting action of the frame. The support is not restricted in application to a transverse position on the mattress but may be positioned longitudinally and at either side of the mattress, those portions of the jaws extending to either side of the frame being inserted beneath the mattress.

With the two supports applied to a bed as illustrated, it will be manifest that they coact to sustain the bed covers elevated from the mattress over an area'variable by an adjustment of the arcuate'frame F longitudinally of the mattress, and that where the covers are elevated their weight is removed from that part of the occupants legs or body dis osed therebeneath. V

lthough I have herein shown and described only one form of bed cover support embod stood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without de arting" from the spirit of the invention and t e spirit and sccipe of the appended claims.

claim:

1. A bed cover support pom rising an arched frame adapted to extend a ve a mat- 7 tress, and jaws on the frame extending'to one and the same side thereof and adapted 66 to project beneath the mattress for supportying my invention, it is to be undering the frame in upright position on the mattress.

2. A bed cover support comprising an arched frame having lateral and'terminal extensions arranged in converging relation to each other and adapted when extended beneath a mattress to su port the frame-in upright position above t e mattress.

3. A bed cover sulpport comprising an arched frame havin ateral and terminally fixed aws arrange in converging relation to each other, and ada ted to be extended beneath a mattress, an movable jaws slidable and pivoted on the frame for adjustment above the mattress to engage the latter and coaet with the fixed jaws in maintaining the frame in upright position on the mattress.

4. A bed cover support as embodied in claim 1 wherein the free ends.

MILTON 1). EALY.

jaws are looped-at their.

III 

